Edited ✔️

It was sunhigh, and the heat beat down on Icepaw's hot flank. He was thirsty, but excited. Today he was on a border patrol with Ashtail, Fireshade, Dawnpaw and Swiftbreeze. Everyone was silent, so he remained silent as well, following the patrol until they made it out of the trees. Icepaw felt just like the time at the moor a few days ago when he was moss collecting: out in the open.

But Icepaw wasn't scared. He was excited and hoping for a battle. He kept that feeling to himself in case Ashtail should scold him.

Leaves rustled with a gentle breeze and birds flew overhead from tree to tree, making him jump every time. Icepaw was excited but he was also nervous. Dawnpaw dropped in beside Icepaw, her eyes still up ahead.

"There might be a fight," Dawnpaw whispered, making Icepaw jump again. "There's a hunting patrol somewhere nearby. Brightstar uses them as backup whenever Sparrowheart sends a patrol here." Icepaw knew Dawnpaw was referring to the fact that DarkClan warriors loved battle and had a reputation of attacking the other Clans, especially MoonClan, for what seemed like no reason.

Icepaw shook his head. "If there was a hunting patrol here then they should have gone somewhere else!"

"Exactly!" Dawnpaw meowed. She took a breath of air in and smelled the area. "And DarkClan warriors are vicious and travel in large groups. Sometimes when they come to gatherings, they have more warriors than any other Clan!"

Icepaw looked down to his paws. I wonder if she is just trying to scare me? he thought. Dawnpaw continued, "You can see for yourself one day."

"I know," Icepaw murmured, nodding. He didn't know what else to say. But his battle hunger didn't go away. It only got stronger as he knew this was going to be a challenge. Maybe Icepaw could try his two-days-worth of battle training on them. He knew he'd been working hard; he wanted to really fight.

The DarkClan scent washed into their noses, and immediately Swiftbreeze stopped, holding up her tail. Her patrol stopped behind her, and all of the cats crouched low, scanning the area. They looked out for another patrol.

Soft twigs broke and leaves crunched somewhere on the other side of the border and Icepaw's heart beat faster. A light ginger she-cat followed by a rusty-orange-colored apprentice and a few other warriors stopped at their side of the border, staring over with delight into Icepaw's Clan territory.

"Ah," the ginger she-cat sighed. "MoonClan. The biggest enemy. The Clan that is closest to our camp." She slowly looked around, and her eyes passed over the bush the MoonClan patrol hid in. "Hey, let's see if a patrol will come? They're always here at sunhigh."

The apprentice by her side squealed with excitement. "If there is a patrol, will there be a battle?" he asked, holding the same excitement that Icepaw held.

The ginger she-cat rested her tail on the apprentice's spine. "Perhaps, Flamepaw," she meowed. Icepaw stared mainly at the apprentice, Flamepaw. He saw how bouncy and young the apprentice looked, and at the same time, how battle hungry he was.

Icepaw knew Flamepaw was just like him. We'd be great friends if we were Clanmates, he thought.

A gray tabby ran up to the ginger she-cat with worry in his eyes. "But Sandstar!" he nervously meowed. "Flamepaw's too young. He might not survive in his first battle."

"Silence!" Sandstar hissed. "You are more lowly than Flamepaw! He should be treated with great respect." Flamepaw nodded curtly. "Now, Flamepaw, take the other apprentices over there and check the borders until MoonClan comes. Oaktree, I assume you can handle two others and wait over to the other side?"

They're planning an attack! thought Icepaw with surprise. Were all the Clans like this? He knew MoonClan certainly wasn't.

"Can do, Sandstar," a brown tabby who must be Oaktree said. The warrior chose two cats and ran all the way to the other side until he was out of plain sight. Swiftbreeze turned to her patrol, and Icepaw looked up hopefully at the gray she-cat.

Swiftbreeze sighed, and peeked over once more to check Sandstar and two other cats sitting and waiting. Finally, she said, "We're outmatched and we won't win if they pull an attack on us."

Icepaw listened and watched her carefully. "Icepaw," she continued, resting her eyes at the young apprentice. "Run as fast as you can, unnoticed, back to camp. Get a patrol and bring them here. I don't want to risk bloodshed or death but we must be safe."

Icepaw's eyes widened with disbelief. "What?" he questioned with disbelief. "I wanted to fight! I thought I was gonna fight!"

Swiftbreeze shook her head. "You're the least experienced. You have to go back to camp." Icepaw sadly nodded, not wanting to start an argument with his Clanmate in the middle of a crisis. "And we have to mark our borders, so I can't take any chances of having our warriors attacked and injured."

Icepaw thought for a moment. "How will I travel with Sandstar looking straight in our direction?" he asked. Dawnpaw looked over to see Sandstar again, but the ginger DarkClan leader didn't spot her. "We'll be caught and her patrol gets to us."

Swiftbreeze sat and thought, and Ashtail's eyes eagerly lit up. "Climb!" he suggested. "Crawl to the nearest tree and climb the other side that's not facing Sandstar. Then, go tree by tree until you are far enough."

"Brilliant!" Fireshade meowed.

Swiftbreeze nodded an agreement, and Dawnpaw silently kept watch. "If you can manage it," Swiftbreeze said, "Go and climb. I trust you."

Icepaw sighed and nodded. He turned and faced the nearest tree. Suddenly, softly called, "Go, she's not watching!" Almost immediately, Icepaw leaped forward, imagining he was running away from a battle.

He wasn't happy but he knew he had to do what his patrol leader instructed. Icepaw ran to the nearest tree and leaped up the side where it was facing away from Sandstar. She didn't notice, which made him sigh of relief as he made his was up the top of the oak tree.

"Wow," Icepaw breathed. He could see the sky and some treetops and his patrol still crouched at the bushes. Then, Icepaw turned away and leaped to a tree branch, hoping he would not miss. He sighed of relief as he clawed his way up the first branch.

He looked around once more, and leaped to the next branch, his prayers reaching all the way up to StarClan. I can do this . . .

As he leaped to the next tree, he looked back, and stiffened. Sandstar was looking up, almost right at him. Since he was covered by the foliage, he hoped that the DarkClan leader didn't really see him. Then, after a short yet long moment, their eyes met. Sandstar was looking right into his own eyes.

He could hear her devious voice. "Look!" she growled. "A MoonClan apprentice!" Immediately, Flamepaw ran up to Sandstar and spotted Icepaw. "There could be a patrol around! Quick, search!"

One of the DarkClan warriors let out a menacing hiss. "Come out, come out, MoonClan cats!"

Icepaw realized he was frozen with horror as he could see his own patrol about to stir out of the bush. Their plan had failed. There might be bloodshed. Icepaw looked down to Ashtail, who was staring back at him. Sandstar still did not find the patrol, but knew they soon would if he didn't hurry.

"The apprentice is going to get away!" a she-cat growled.

Sandstar laughed. "Let him. He'll bring the battle right to us!"

Icepaw dashed from branch to branch, fear rising up deep within his chest. Someone might die today and it would be his fault! Icepaw has never felt more scared. Not even his dream felt as scary!

The DarkClan warriors stood, watching and smirking at him, but they didn't chase him like he expected. Icepaw then knew he still had a chance to make it back in time to camp to warn Brightstar and save his patrol. When he was far enough from the DarkClan territory, Icepaw leaped off of the tree branch and began pounding on the forest floor, away from the danger. Farther from death.

The camp was coming into view, and he leaped in the prickly entrance, tumbling over. All the cats who weren't on patrol ran up to Icepaw, worry in their eyes.

Brightstar leaped off her high den. "What's wrong, Icepaw?" she asked, knowing that he was one of the cats who went on a patrol to DarkClan. "Where are the others?"

Icepaw slowly got up. "They're okay, but a large DarkClan patrol is waiting at the borders to ambush us! We're outnumbered. If they find our patrol . . . there will be a lot of bloodshed!"

Brightstar growled. "And where is the hunting patrol?"

Icepaw froze. He remembered what Dawnpaw said. "I don't know, we didn't see them. The only cats there are the MoonClan and the DarkClan border patrols."

Brightstar looked up to the clouds, sighing. "I hoped that there would be no battles," she murmured. "But Sandstar was always blood-thirsty." Icepaw felt bad for hoping for a battle. His ears pressed back in silent embarrassment. All of the cats nervously crowded Icepaw and Brightstar. Then, the leader ordered, "Sparrowheart! Take three warriors with you and get to the border as fast as possible!"

"On it!" he called. He turned and scanned the area. "Skypelt, come. Bluewing, and . . . Nightrose!"

The dark gray she-cat and black she-cat dashed to the entrance of camp. Skypelt and Sparrowheart were already waiting there. "Let's go," Sparrowheart called to Icepaw. The gray apprentice's eyes widened.

"Coming, Sparrowheart," he said. This will be something to tell Dewpaw!

They dashed across forest floor , and this time since Icepaw wasn't as scared, he ran up besides his father with newfound confidence. Sparrowheart chose him to fight! Icepaw felt finally higher than Dewpaw, who always seemed to be a step ahead.

Soon, they were near the border, and the sounds of hissing rose in Icepaw's ears. He could see his patrol along with more MoonClan warriors, probably from the hunting patrol. One of those cats stood out due to his bright white pelt. It was Dewpaw! Icepaw's heart sank as he remembered that Dewpaw was one of those among the hunting patrol.

There goes something exciting to tell him.

Dawnpaw stood right beside Dewpaw, and Mousetail and Shadowheart were there as well. Sandstar stood beside her apprentice, hissing and growling and threatening the MoonClan cats. Her large patrol stood behind her, following what she was doing.

Sparrowheart growled with anger and broke into the chain of MoonClan warriors who were just about to fight. "Enough!" yowled Sparrowheart. "Now, what is going on here?"

Every warrior stopped their obnoxious yowling and hissing. Sparrowheart sighed and continued, "What is the meaning of this? Why is there more quarreling?"

"Sparrowheart!" Sandstar meowed angrily. "Stop questioning things! It's not our fault that your cats crossed our borders!"

Icepaw's fur began to prickle, and he leaped up. "That's a lie!" he blurted out. "You filthy DarkClan warriors wanted to ambush our patrol!" Icepaw found himself growling. He stood right besides Dawnpaw and Dewpaw, who looked surprised.

Sandstar let out a purr. "Oh, look, it's the one who ran off! The apprentice too scared to fight, the one who ran off in the trees!"

Icepaw was growling, but felt embarrassed. Heat rose to his ear-tips.

"Stop it!" Ashtail ordered. "She's only trying to mock you. She's trying to start a fight!"

"Flamepaw, go! Now's you're chance to show me what I have taught you," she said. "Get the gray apprentice!" She flicked her tail at Icepaw, and he froze. So did Flamepaw. They both looked at each other, and Icepaw looked back at his companions, who were also doing nothing.

After the moment of hesitation, the rusty-orange apprentice finally spoke.

"Yes, Sandstar!" Flamepaw leaped up with his claws outstretched. At the same moment, though, one of the oak trees began to sway in the direction of all the quarreling cats. 

Oh no! Icepaw thought, running up and grabbing Flamepaw with his claws. He pulled the apprentice out of the way just in time before the oak tree crashed in between the two Clans.

Sandstar stood on the other side with horror, and Flamepaw's eyes were squeezed shut as Icepaw held him. Every warrior was in shock.

"A sign . . ." Shadowheart murmured, his ears flattened and his eyes wide.

Just as Shadowheart spoke, Swiftbreeze rose her voice. "A sign from StarClan!" she called. "StarClan says that there will be no bloodshed today!"

Yowls of agreement rose from MoonClan. Then, Sparrowheart leaped up on the oak that has just fallen, enough to see the DarkClan patrol. "Go home," he said. "Swiftbreeze is right. StarClan doesn't approve of this."

Sandstar stood there growling. "Fine, MoonClan. You'll get away this time, but watch your backs!" she spat. "Flamepaw, come!"

Icepaw got off of the rusty orange apprentice, and Flamepaw stood up, dipping his head to Icepaw. "Thank you," he said, still shaking. He leaned closer and whispered, "Meet me here again. Moonhigh."

Confused, Icepaw nodded, and Flamepaw began to run away. Why would a DarkClan cat want to talk to an apprentice like him? Icepaw shook himself to be rid of any confusion, and began to walk away with his Clanmates.

Dewpaw trotted over to him, his eyes wide with excitement. "This was way more intense than the first quarrel with DarkClan!" he meowed with excitement. "These cats were more hostile. Especially Sandstar!"

Icepaw nodded, and Dawnpaw raced up to his other side. "I was almost about to leap in there and tear Flamepaw off of you, too!"

"I would of handled it," Icepaw murmured.

Dawnpaw nodded, smiling. She and Dewpaw began to talk on either side of Icepaw, but he ignored it, thinking to himself. The only fight I cowered away from was with that Twilight Warrior—but I know I won't be as scared as I was then. Right?

After all, he wasn't a kit anymore. Each day he was an apprentice, he felt braver and fiercer. So why wasn't he so sure of his bravery now?

Time passed, and the two patrols finally made it to camp. Some of the hunters carried prey. Some looked disappointed, probably because DarkClan cats stole their food. Icepaw wondered if StreamClan, CloudClan and MarshClan have been having problems with DarkClan as well. 

Out of the corner of the camp, Featherbreeze came running up to her mate and kits. Dewpaw and Sparrowheart waited with Icepaw until Featherbreeze reached them, panting. She nuzzled Sparrowheart first.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly. "I heard that there was another attack from DarkClan!"

Sparrowheart sighed. "We almost got attacked. Only then Icepaw came in time to stop it," Sparrowheart meowed, looking proudly down at his son.

Icepaw nodded, embarrassed.

"But the hunting patrol prey got stolen," Dewpaw meowed. "I caught the biggest squirrel ever! It's a shame that I couldn't contribute it to the Clan."

Icepaw didn't feel jealous, even though he figured Dewpaw was probably lying about the squirrel to get to Icepaw. He was still confused about Flamepaw, and better yet, captured by the idea that he was not as brave as he thought he was.

Sparrowheart growled, and Icepaw looked up at his father. "I'm going to go have a word to Brightstar about what to tell those filthy DarkClan cats at the next gathering," he said, beginning to walk away. He turned and added, "Getting attacked and having prey stolen is what hungry low-life rogues would do!"

Icepaw got a sudden bolt of excitement in his chest. He turned to Featherbreeze and asked, "Speaking of gatherings, when will the next one be?" He thought about if he could go to his first gathering after just being made an apprentice a few days ago.

Featherbreeeze took a moment before responding, thinking herself. "It's next quarter-moon!" she announced, and Icepaw felt Dewpaw's excitement right over his own. "You both might get to come along."

"Yes!" Icepaw cheered. Featherbreeze nodded, dismissing herself. In just a quarter-moon, I might see all of the warrior Clans and leaders!

* * *

The day went by, and it was almost moonhigh. It was also Icepaw's third time sleeping in the apprentice den, but he stayed awake all night, remembering his promise to go and meet Flamepaw where they had almost fought. Icepaw waited for all the apprentices to stop stirring before he crept out of his nest.

He stretched as soon as he exited the den, and thanked StarClan that the apprentices slept close by the entrance of the camp. He didn't have to slip past the warriors den or leader's rock and risk getting spotted by a warrior. As he reached the entrance, he poked his head through and spotted both Ashtail and Swiftbreeze talking to one another in hushed whispers, their backs turned to him. Icepaw was careful not to step on any leaves or twigs as he crept away, and when he knew he was far enough he made a run for it.

Icepaw hoped Flamepaw would be waiting for him, as he wanted to meet another Clan cat. Even though he knew there was a possibility that Flamepaw could be tricking him, he had a good feeling about the DarkClan apprentice. 

He was hesitant to fight me, Icepaw thought as he made his way to the DarkClan border. There must be some good DarkClan cats, right?

 Reassuring himself, he followed the smell of Swiftbreeze's border patrol to reach his destination. It was a bit hard navigating during the nighttime, but his eyesight was good, especially under the luminescent light.

It didn't take him a long time to travel. He made it just in time to see the rusty ginger tom sitting on the fallen oak. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear, sitting patiently underneath the moonlight. 

Icepaw emerged from his side of the border and stood at the base of the oak and cleared his throat. Flamepaw spotted him and leaped down, graceful as a MoonClan cat.

He dipped his head. "Greetings."

Icepaw didn't think that DarkClan cats could feel so polite. "Uh . . . hello," Icepaw meowed, not knowing what to say. "Why---why did you ask me to come?"

Flamepaw smiled. "I just wanted to thank you in advance, Icepaw." He paused, as if in deep thought about something. "And I wanted to ask you . . . . Why did you pull me out of the way in the first place? Out of the way from the falling tree, I mean. I-I thought MoonClan and DarkClan hated each other, that they wanted each other to die . . ."

Icepaw stared at him, puzzled. Wouldn't just any warrior save another Clan cat?

"I don't want anyone to die," Icepaw murmured, feeling awkward. "Nobody I know thinks so, either. Besides, the Warrior Code says to show the other Clans mercy, so we shouldn't kill in battle."

Flamepaw's eyes widened. "I've never heard that addition in the code," he admitted. "Sandstar doesn't show anyone mercy. But I do know we all have to respect her—word of leader is law!"

Icepaw thought it was strange that Flamepaw didn't know that part of the code, but perhaps he had just forgotten it when his mentor was teaching it to him. "I think I can understand," he said to the DarkClan apprentice. It felt strange talking to the enemy. "So does that mean you don't like Sandstar?"

Flamepaw shook his head. "She's an amazing leader and mentor," he meowed. "Just different. That's all."

Different, Icepaw thought. Different how?

He could hear the birds in the trees stirring, and he jumped with surprise. Looking up at the sky, the stars of Silverpelt seemed less prominent than it had during moonhigh. I hadn't realized how much time had passed!

"It'll be dawn soon," he murmured, his eyes returning on the orange warrior. "The stars are gone. I-I have to go. But it was nice to talk to you, Flamepaw, without the aggressions and all . . ."

"I know what you mean," the other apprentice murmured.

Icepaw backed up onto his own territory, observing Flamepaw with caution and curiosity at the same time. "Well, I'll see you around. I have to get back to MoonClan before they notice I'm gone."

"I have to get back, too," Flamepaw said as he began to back away into his own territory. "I hope to see you at our next gathering."

"Me too, Flamepaw," he said. Dipping his head one final time, Icepaw whirled around and dashed into the undergrowth, heading back to MoonClan in fear that some cat had realized he was gone. He didn't look back, but he felt Flamepaw's gaze travel his on back.

Questions still soared in Icepaw's mind about the kind DarkClan apprentice. Did they just forget to teach Flamepaw that part of the Code? Or does Sandstar deliberately exclude it?

Maybe he should tell his Clan. Well, maybe not. Icepaw thought that Flamepaw entrusted him with secret information, and maybe he should keep his mouth silent. 

After all, beyond all the fighting between the two Clans, the apprentices took a liking to each other.